Water Parameters - Calcium and Phosphate

[sharij1]

Any ideas On What To Do For The calcium and Phosphate?

Just tested my water and here are the readings:

Ph 8.0 never can keep it higher than this
Ammonia between 0 and .25
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 0
Specific gravity 1.024 (hydrometer)
Temp 80
Calcium 520
Kh 11
*Phosphate .25 hate the stupid child chart, colors are too close together*
all API test kits as that is all that is available around here

 

[ralph atl]

Get yourself some Elos test kits from bulkreefsupply.com

 

[sharij1]

I'll check them out.. thanks

 

[skriz]

Don't waste your money on elos test kits.

First thing you need is a refractometer. No test kit matters until you have your salinity right amd stable.

Secondly, are you dosing or have a calcium reactor? If not, your Ca is not 520.

If you want good kits for a reasonable price, get seachem. Most sponsors carry them.

 

[sharij1]

I was also looking at the digital reader kits....

 

[mrflameangel]

Let me get some of your water and I will test it for you. I use Red Sea test kits. I work tomorrow and would be able to meet you anywhere north of russell pkwy in Warner Robins. Or you could drop it off at the sheriffs office any time before 6pm. Let me know.

 

[ralph atl]

Skriz;865983 wrote: Don't waste your money on elos test kits.

First thing you need is a refractometer. No test kit matters until you have your salinity right amd stable.

Secondly, are you dosing or have a calcium reactor? If not, your Ca is not 520.

If you want good kits for a reasonable price, get seachem. Most sponsors carry them.

Disagree on Elos test kits....I've used almost every test kit ever made, and for hobby test kits, they are wonderful....

Refractometer, a must....I agree.

Your calcium most likely is not 520, but u are using API......which isn't accurate.....Seachem test kits suck, IMHO.......hard to use & I actually just threw them out in frustration as opposed to reselling them...

Edit: Plus, he is a "Seachem official dealer" lol....go figure. Love his fish though....

But conflict of interest, d'oh! He's a mod! I'm bandwagon........

 

[ralph atl]

mysterybox;865988 wrote: Disagree on Elos test kits....I've used almost every test kit ever made, and for hobby test kits, they are wonderful....

Refractometer, a must....I agree.

Your calcium most likely is not 520, but u are using API......which isn't accurate.....Seachem test kits suck, IMHO.......hard to use & I actually just threw them out in frustration as opposed to reselling them...

Edit: Plus, he is a "Seachem official dealer" lol....go figure. Love his fish & livestock though....
The bomb!
None better!

But conflict of interest, d'oh! He's a mod! I'm bandwagon........

Salifert is a good second choice....

 

[sharij1]

I appreciate the offer on the water testing. I will probably take you up on it! The people at the sheriff's department may think I'm nuts bringing it up there! Lol

Edit: I haven't dosed any calcium because the levels have always shown up around 500 or so. I'm not running a calcium reactor either. I have a hang on back filter, heater, two powerheads, about 35 pounds of live rock, 2 ocellaris, one royal gramma, various invertebrates, and a couple coral frags ( just starting with corals) in a 29 gallon tank that is around six months old. the only thing i dose is seachem something or other for the corals, regular weekly water changes. I upgraded my lights about a month ago to a quad t5ho with actinics and two 10k on an 8hour light cycle with actinics on before and after and moonlights for looks late at night.

 

[skriz]

mysterybox;865988 wrote: Disagree on Elos test kits....I've used almost every test kit ever made, and for hobby test kits, they are wonderful....

Refractometer, a must....I agree.

Your calcium most likely is not 520, but u are using API......which isn't accurate.....Seachem test kits suck, IMHO.......hard to use & I actually just threw them out in frustration as opposed to reselling them...

Edit: Plus, he is a "Seachem official dealer" lol....go figure. Love his fish though....

But conflict of interest, d'oh! He's a mod! I'm bandwagon........

I absolutely hated elos kits when I tried them. I'm an official dealer for a ton of stuff..even elos before we dumped them!

My bet is you're Not doing the test correctly. Api shouldn't be that far off.

The little digital checkers are garbage. They're discontinuing them one by one as they finally accept they don't work.

 

[ralph atl]

Fair enough!

I guess we will agree to disagree....

API calcium should be close enough for what is needed, however, API phates and trates (and ammonia) are garbage IMHO.

All hobby test kits have a wide range of accuracy, some just more than others...

 

[edulover]

Wow...I love the debate. Please keep this going. This is better than Sergio and Tiger.